This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 092211980, filed on Jun. 30, 2003.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a positioning assembly for positioning a container on a platform of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate conventional horizontal positioning assemblies 13 for positioning containers 14 on a platform 10 of a vehicle, such as a cargo-carrying ship. Each of the horizontal positioning assemblies 13 includes an adjusting member 131 connected to a support 11 on the platform 10 through a coupling member 132, and an extension rod 133 that threadedly engages the adjusting member 131 and that is connected to a corner fitting 141 of the respective container 14 through a hook member 134.
The conventional horizontal positioning assembly 13, when left on the platform 10 (i.e., it remains connected to the support 11), tends to be damaged during piling of the containers 14 on the platform 10. As a consequence, each positioning assembly 13 is normally required to be detached from the support 11, which is relatively inconvenient, and requires a space for storage. Moreover, since each positioning assembly 13 is relatively long, carrying and transport thereof for storage can be very troublesome.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a positioning assembly that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the present invention, there is provided a positioning assembly for positioning a container on a platform. The container has a corner fitting. The positioning assembly comprises: a first connecting rod having a platform-connecting end that is adapted to be connected to the platform, and a threaded end section that is opposite to the platform-connecting end; a second connecting rod having a coupling end and a threaded end section that is opposite to the coupling end; an elongated adjusting member disposed between the first and second connecting rods and having two opposite threaded ends that threadedly and respectively engage the threaded end sections of the first and second connecting rods so as to permit extension and retraction of the first and second connecting rods relative to the adjusting member; a third connecting rod that has a hook-connecting end, and a pivot end opposite to the hook-connecting end and pivoted to the coupling end of the second connecting rod; and a hook member pivoted to the hook-connecting end of the third connecting rod and adapted to be connected to the corner fitting of the container.